The Star Frost Chronicles: Book 4: Deputyship
by The Pink Twinkie
Summary: She unsheathed her claws, and used one to open up the mouse. She put five berries in; enough for the job. It would take care of Tantail, and certainly rid him of his bellyache. --Rated T, for safety--
1. Character List

C L O U D C L A N (DreamClan's new name):

**C L O U D C L A N (DreamClan's new name):**

Leader

**Honeystar:** _She-cat with golden fur and pools of honey-golden eyes. Nine lives left. No mate, no_ _kits_.

Deputy

**Cloudwhisp: **_Grayish-white she-cat with soft baby-blue eyes. No mate currently, kits are Turtleshell and Sunflame._

Medicine Cat

**Whiteleg: **_Albino she-cat with red eyes._

**Ashpaw:** _Ash-gray she-cat with blue-green eyes._

Warriors

**Warmbreeze: **_Blue-gray and white tom with deep, dark blue eyes. Mate is Fernpelt, kits are Ashpaw and Bluepaw._

**Thinwhisker: **_Black tom with brown and white patches. Has stormy-gray eyes. No mate, no kits._

**Fernpelt: **_Dark gray-black she-cat with white patches and moss-green eyes. Mate is Warmbreeze, kits are Ashpaw and Bluepaw._

**Cloudwhisker: **_Very light gray tabby she-cat with tufts of white fur and dark brown eyes. No mate currently, kit is Whiteleg._

**Turtleshell: **_Gray she-cat with light blue eyes._

**Sunflame: **_White she-cat with dark blue eyes._

**Frostfoot: **_Icy-white she-cat with icy-blue eyes._

Apprentices

**Bluepaw: **_Blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes._

**Ashpaw: **_Ash-gray she-cat with blue-green eyes._

Queens

_None currently._

Elders

**Wiseheart: **_Black and white tom with orange-yellow eyes. Renamed Wiseheart from his old name, Lightningstripe, after retiring, due to being the eldest warrior in CloudClan before retiring. No mate, no kits._

Kits

_None currently._

Rogues

**Nettlefur:** _Black she-cat with pine-green eyes. Five lives left. No mate, no kits._

**Tanheart: **_Brownish-tan tom with orange eyes. No mate, no kits._

**Jaggedpelt: **_Scruffy brown tabby tom with jade-green eyes. No mate, no kits._

**Beesting: **_Golden tom with black tabby stripes and fern-green eyes. Mate is Cloudwhisp, kits are Turtlekit and Sunkit._

**Bloodbone: **_Albino tom with red eyes. Mate is Cloudwhisker, kit is Whitekit._

**Yarrowflower: **_Golden-brown tabby she-cat with dark, mustard-yellow eyes. No mate, no kits._

**Talonscar: **_Dark gray tabby tom with icy-blue eyes. Mate is Icefrost, kit is Frostkit._

**Icefrost: **_Icy-white she-cat with light green eyes. Mate is Talonscar, kit is Frostkit_


	2. Chapter 1: Two New Apprentices

Frostfoot had fulfilled the prophecy

Frostfoot had fulfilled the prophecy. She was finally happy. The only thing that dampened her spirit was that three members of her Clan were dead. But that was some moons ago. She remembered her deputyship.

It was some moons ago that she was first made deputy, but even now, she forgot sometimes; felt like she was an ordinary warrior when she really wasn't. She shifted her forepaws nervously in front of her as she watched Honeystar, standing with two kits next to her; Bluekit and Ashkit.

"Frostfoot, you are now ready to take on an apprentice. You will be mentor to Bluepaw. Frostfoot, you have shown yourself to be a deputy of compassion and loyalty to what you know is right. I'm sure you will pass on all that you know to this apprentice," meowed Honeystar.

It hit Frostfoot that only warriors who'd had apprentices could be made deputy. Honeystar had ignored that rule with her, but now she was making it right. She remembered that Cloudwhisp had told her that StarClan was not made at her, nor the leader of CloudClan.

Bluepaw touched noses excitedly with Frostfoot, then sat next to her, her blue eyes gleaming. There was something about Bluepaw that made Frostfoot reminded of someone.

"Whiteleg, you are now ready to take on an apprentice. You will be mentor to Ashpaw. Whiteleg, you have shown yourself to be a medicine cat of loyalty and understanding. I'm sure you will pass on all that you know to this apprentice," purred CloudClan's leader.

Whiteleg touched noses with the apprentice, her red eyes gleaming with happiness.

Once the cats had dispersed, Frostfoot waved Whiteleg and Ashpaw over. "Why don't we go around for a look at the territory together?" Frostfoot suggested, and she saw Bluepaw's eyes flash with excitement.

"We won't be taking the same route as you," mewed Whiteleg curtly. "I have to show Ashpaw the best places for herbs while we look at the territory. You'll just look at the territory."

Frostfoot felt as if she had been nipped on her ear. Why was Whiteleg being angry like that? She was being as cold as frost. _Maybe there's a good explanation_, Frostfoot thought. "Oh, alright; good thinking, Whiteleg," she meowed carefully. "We'll see you later. Come on, Bluepaw."

Frostfoot led the way out of the camp, then waded through the water with Bluepaw until she got back to land again. She sniffed the air to scent for any intruders, then began her tour.

"This is CloudClan's border with BoulderClan," mewed Frostfoot after a while. Bluepaw was really quiet, and she looked troubled. She just nodded and flicked her tail tip.

"Okay." She sniffed BoulderClan scent and then continued back on by Frostfoot's side.

"Bluepaw, is something troubling you?" Frostfoot questioned.

Bluepaw paused, as if she wasn't sure she should tell Frostfoot anything. She turned to her, blue eyes full of worry. "I'm concerned about Whiteleg."

Frostfoot widened her eyes. "You're much too young to worry about Clan business," she began warily.

Bluepaw's eyes flashed angrily at Frostfoot. "I knew you wouldn't understand. No one ever does, except Ashpaw."

She began walking, but Frostfoot jumped in front of her. Her ice-blue eyes met Bluepaw's own blue eyes. "I don't want you to worry yourself sick; that's all. I'll understand. Tell me."

Bluepaw looked at her warily. "The way she treated you. You two have been friends since kithood."

Frostfoot's face twisted in curiosity. "How'd you know that?" she asked.

Bluepaw shrugged. "I dunno. I must've heard it somewhere. That's not the point, though," snipped Bluepaw, annoyed. "There's something about her that's different."

"I agree. Today, she seems to have changed." Frostfoot's eyes glazed. "Come on, let's go around the territories."


	3. Chapter 2: The Death

Frostfoot curled up tightly into a ball

_Now, for the uber-rare POV of Whiteleg!_

--

Tantail had a bellyache, so Whiteleg was going to tend to him.

Whiteleg fed Tantail the watermint leaves, then had Bluepaw stay with Frostfoot over by the elder's den, away from all the action, to calm her nerves.

She rushed back to the medicine cats' den, then shooed Ashpaw out. She told her to go and stay with her sister and Frostfoot.

She breathed in, then out. Was she sure of what she was about to do? She was so jealous of being the little misfit albino when Tantail and Frostfoot and everyone else took so much fame with the whole prophecy.

She was fed up, and, now, she was sure.

She unsheathed her claws, and used one to open up the mouse. She put five berries in; enough for the job. It would take care of Tantail, and certainly rid him of his bellyache.

She was careful not to touch the insides of the mouse and brought it back to Tantail. "Eat this," she meowed encouragingly. She was nearly shaking with excitement, and, uncertainty.

"Thanks," meowed Tantail, taking two big bites where the berries were. He swallowed quickly, then spat out some spit. "What was in that?" he snapped.

"I'm sorry," was all that Whiteleg said.

Tantail began to foam at his mouth, hacking and trying to wretch, but with no luck. He convulsed and twitched and Whiteleg yowled, "Help! Something's wrong!"

Frostfoot broke free from Bluepaw and Ashpaw and bounded into the den. She found Whiteleg, her red-eyes showing fake worry and defeat. Tantail was incredibly still. She lifted her head. "He's…gone. I don't know what happened."

All traces of the deathberries were gone, so she couldn't be blamed for what she had did. She had killed Tantail out of jealousy, and she was not ashamed, but now, fairly certain, that she wanted to kill all the Star Frost. But slowly, so the cloud of suspicion would not loom over her.

Frostfoot let out a terrible yowl of pain. "I loved him, I loved him!" she yowled at the top of her lungs. "I'll never find another!"

Ashpaw and Bluepaw were each on one of her sides, mewing comfortingly into her ears. But she paid no attention, but just yowled and yowled and yowled.

Honeystar had mewed the words for Tantail's last ceremony. Frostfoot's nose was buried deep into that tan fur, murmuring to him. "You're going to StarClan now, see. And I'll wait for you forever, I swear. I'm never going to have another mate. You only. You forever. And we'll meet in StarClan. You died too young."

Whiteleg stood by, watching with fake pain and fake sadness etched into her facial features. No one suspected anything, yet.


	4. Chapter 3: Bundles of Joy

Frostfoot woke as Tantail's body was carried away for his burial

Frostfoot woke as Tantail's body was carried away for his burial. She hadn't fallen asleep, no, not on the night of the death of her beloved. She fell into a trance that this was all real, and it started with a bellyache.

Ashpaw sat next to Bluepaw, murmuring in her ear. Her blue-green eyes seemed to reflect a tortured sadness as she spotted Frostfoot, her ice-blue eyes not leaving Tantail's body as Wiseheart and a couple of warriors helped to carry him. Frostfoot joined them to help.

A frosty warrior appeared by Frostfoot's side. It was her mother, Icefrost!

"Icefrost?" she hissed low.

"Yes," her mother murmured. The tips of every fur on her pelt had frost, and every pawstep she took left behind star frost. The glitter of stars shown in her pelt. "I made things right."

"But you are dead! Without even a proper burial." Frostfoot had more to mourn for now, besides just her lost mate.

"This was fate, Frostfoot. Your paws will walk paths tougher than that of the great Fernstar," warned Icefrost.

Frostfoot's eyes widened, but she continued on until they got to the burial place. The warriors and Wiseheart weren't paying any mind to her, so she kept talking to her mother. "How could that be? Fernstar lost everyone. She grew up without a father, even if he was a menace. She lost all her siblings, her mother, Graytail, who kinda stepped in for the father role! What kind of harder path would there be to tread?" she questioned.

"StarClan has warned me not to tell, or I will lose my connection with you, my daughter," Icefrost mewed in a low voice. "Do not do this to yourself. And go to the medicine cat apprentice Ashpaw right away. Ask her about Tantail's death and ask her to check you out."

"Why?"

"Just do as I say, Frostfoot."

Icefrost disappeared like sand blowing in the wind, and Frostfoot turned her eyes back on the ceremony.

--

The next morning, Frostfoot watched Ashpaw sorting through some herbs. "Ashpaw, I need you to check on me…," she began warily.

Ashpaw's eyed widened in excitement. "Oh, Whiteleg taught me how on my first day of training!" She hopped up and began feeling Frostfoot, sniffing, checking. Her blue-green eyes glistened. "You are pregnant. Congratulations."

Frostfoot almost fell over. "Really?" she mewed excitedly. Then she remembered the kits would never know their father.

"Don't worry. You'll have to retreat to the nursery soon. Then, you can forget your warrior worries." Ashpaw went back to sorting herbs, then looked up into Frostfoot's eyes. "Why didn't you have Whiteleg check you out? She's more experienced."

"It's a long story." Frostfoot sighed, then lay down on the packed earth of the clearing. "I have to ask you some questions about Tantail's death."

"I didn't treat him, Frostfoot," meowed Ashpaw sternly.

"Such a young apprentice to sound so stern." Frostfoot let out a purr, even though remembering her beloved shot a pawful of thorns through her heart. "Do you know what he had? Bellyache could not have killed him."

"True. I'm not sure; you'd have to ask Whiteleg. She just told me to fetch him some prey and bring it to her den so she'd put some herbs in because Tantail was fussy." Ashpaw shrugged, eyes clouding with grief. "I don't like talking about this…"

"Neither do I, but this is important." Frostfoot thought for a moment. "Tantail surely wouldn't have been as fussy as a kit? He's a strong warrior after all. I mean, _was_." Frostfoot choked on the last word.

"He always will be," Ashpaw mewed quietly and simply.

Suddenly, a looming shadow was cast over the two.


	5. Chapter 4: Whiteleg's Reveal

"What did I tell you about your medicine cat duties

"What did I tell you about your medicine cat duties?" snarled Whiteleg, her shadow over the two. Frostfoot stood up boldly, refusing to cringe, as did Ashpaw.

"I asked her to talk to me. Would she disobey the order of the _deputy_?" challenged Frostfoot.

Whiteleg said nothing, but, instead, swept her tail over the partially sorted herbs. "I suppose you'll have to start over, then. And no fresh-kill until you are done. I'm off to find some mallow." She stared, blood-red eyes blazing with anger, at Frostfoot. "Don't disturb my apprentice anymore."

Frostfoot took a couple steps forward so that she was almost nose-to-nose with Whiteleg. "I'm pregnant, didn't you her?" she hissed. "Aren't you happy for me?"

"Ecstatic." Whiteleg pelted out of camp with a last snarl.

Ashpaw's facial features betrayed nothing such as hurt or loathe. She just began sorting, murmuring to Frostfoot, "You should go."

"I know." Frostfoot sighed, turning her head. "I'm sorry you got in trouble."

"It is no fault but my own," meowed Ashpaw boldly, stacking a last juniper berry in one of the piles.

Frostfoot slunk away.

--

Sunflame prodded Frostfoot in the side. "Are you okay?" she asked gently. Frostfoot lifted her snowy-white head to see Turtleshell and Sunflame standing side-by-side. Now that Sunflame had come back to the Clan, those two were inseparable.

"Yes." Frostfoot sat up, her usually-sparkling ice-blue eyes dull with the pain of her loss. She spotted her mother in the corner, and realized she must've visited from StarClan. She looked pleased. "Where's Honeystar?"

"In her den," they mewed in unison. Frostfoot let out a purr at their closeness.

"I want to ask if I can go out and hunt alone. Think to myself a bit."

"Of course!" a voice sounded. It was Honeystar. "Anything you need."

"Thank you." Frostfoot dipped her head with gratitude.

She slipped out and went over to the water surrounding the camp. She was going to catch some fish today, because that's mostly what her Clan ate. She twitched her nose as she noticed her mother was by her side. "Icefrost," she mewed kindly.

"Hello, daughter. So, you know of the good news? You have kits," purred Icefrost, running her tail down Frostfoot's back, which left frost.

Frostfoot shivered. "Yes." She shot her paw in, claws unsheathed. She caught a silvery fish and laid it next to Icefrost.

"I have talked to Tantail. He misses you greatly, and he says he will wait for you," mewed Icefrost. "He really loves you, Frostfoot."

"And I really love him. He _knows _that," snapped Frostfoot, shooting her paw in the water and catching a yellow fish. She added it to her pile.

"Yes, he does. He only wishes he could be here…But he also knows what caused his death." Icefrost shuffled her front paws.

Frostfoot's icy-white paw hung above the water as she was about to strike, before she heard what Icefrost had said. She brought her paw back and looked her mother in the eyes. "What was it?" she asked, quietly as possible.

"StarClan won't let me reveal everything to you yet, but…Ask Ashpaw how many berries are in each stock of the different kinds of berries, then you and Ashpaw, count them." Icefrost disappeared, once again, like dust in wind.

Frostfoot hissed in frustration, then dipped her paw in the water to grab another fish, a white one. She grabbed her pile and went back to camp.


	6. Chapter 5: Ashpaw's Vision

"What did I tell you about your medicine cat duties

**A/N: I'd like to say sorry about the Character List. I'd like to thank one of my reviewers for pointing out the problem – Cloudwhisp is dead, unfortunately, but I forgot to take her off. Just clearing this up for you all!**

--

_Ashpaw's POV_

--

Ashpaw looked around. Thin lines of cloud were in the night sky; they looked like whiskers. She was dreaming, she realized.

"This is the sign you receive. Whiskers of cloud, herbs and berries…," mewed a mysterious cat. When the cat came out of the shadows, Ashpaw saw that it was Snowfeather, Whiteleg's mentor. "You are not ready to be a medicine cat, yet, young one. You have much to know and learn."

--

_Back to Frostfoot's POV_

--

"Hey, Ashpaw!" Frostfoot called. "I need to ask you a couple of questions."

Ashpaw gave Frostfoot sidelong glance as she was stocking some more cobweb.

"Hold on a moment," she mewed, finally getting the web off her paw and into the little cubby. "What do you need?" She twitched her black nose.

"Can you tell me how many berries were stocked on the day Tantail died?" asked Frostfoot, sitting down and curling her tail over her paws.

"Sure. I have a good memory." She pointed her tail tip to her head, letting out an _mrrow _of laughter. "But why do you need to know."

"Just hear me out; then I'll explain," Frostfoot meowed.

"Alright. You're one of my closest friends; I trust you," mewed Ashpaw, putting her tail across Frostfoot's shoulders. "Now, let's see…There were eleven juniper berries. And fifteen deathberries." She shivered. "I hate those things."

Frostfoot stood up. "Everyone hates them. Hey, can I check the stocks? I have a hunch about Tantail's death." Frostfoot twitched her nose.

Ashpaw nodded. "Of course." She paused. "But can you explain now?"

Frostfoot sighed. "I thought you'd say that," she meowed. She then launched into the long story of Icefrost and how she had been helping her and how she was in StarClan now.

Ashpaw dipped her head and murmured, "I am sad she has died, but I'm so glad she made things right before she left us to hunt among the stars." She lifted her head. "Come with me. Juniper wouldn't kill Tantail, but deathberries would. We haven't gathered any, or used any, so there should still be the same amount there."

They counted the juniper. Eleven.

They counted the deathberries. Five.

Ashpaw and Frostfoot's pelts bristled, and their eyes widened.

"She would probably need about five to kill Tantail, a grown cat like him…Why are ten gone?" Ashpaw questioned.

"To be safe that it'd kill him?" Frostfoot suggested.

"No, she's a medicine cat…She'd know the exact amount it would take to kill him. And I bet she put it in his prey, otherwise, he would've struggled," hissed Ashpaw angrily. Her blue-green eyes flared. "She must be planning to kill someone else…"

"Great StarClan, she's coming this way!" snarled Frostfoot. "I have to go, before you get in trouble."

Whiteleg stalked over, dropping a fish in front of Ashpaw. "Eat."

Ashpaw glanced down at the fish. It had a slit up on top. "Hey, Whiteleg, can you fetch Honeystar for me? I need to tell her about something."

"Received a prophecy?" asked Honeystar, approaching the two.

"Nope. I have to tell you about Whiteleg."

Whiteleg looked shocked and a flicker of worry passed across her face, but before she could do anything, she was pounced on, and held down, by Frostfoot, who was stronger than the medicine cat.

Ashpaw and Frostfoot hurriedly explained about what Whiteleg had done to Tantail. She didn't deny any of it, but simply looked defeated. Ashpaw pulled back the slit in her prey to reveal five deathberries.

Honeystar hung her head. "But, Ashpaw, you are not ready for medicine cat duties. You are young."

"I have received a dream…It means Cloudwhisker is to be medicine cat…We know she knows the herbs. She was kind of a fallback in case something happened to a medicine cat, wasn't she?" asked Ashpaw.


	7. Chapter 6: Ending

"That's what Nettlefur always told me," Honeystar mewed, flicking her tail

"That's what Nettlefur always told me," Honeystar mewed, flicking her tail. "But…StarClan approves of this? She has had a mate, and she is not next in line for the position."

"I believe with all my heart as a medicine cat apprentice that I interpreted the sign correctly." Ashpaw dipped her head to her leader. "And Cloudwhisker's mate has left her for the life of a rogue pack. He is nothing more to her."

Honeystar nodded. "Let's…Let's find her."

"Wait," Frostfoot spoke up. "What should we do with Whiteleg? Death or exile?"

Honeystar looked pained. "We can't guarantee she wouldn't poison our prey somehow, with something like a rotten rabbit. We can't say she won't stay off our territory…Death is our only option." Her voice cracked.

Whiteleg struggled underneath Frostfoot. "Stay still!" snapped Frostfoot.

Whiteleg hissed, digging her claws into Frostfoot's chest. Frostfoot gasped, yowling. She fought the urge to leap away to safety, but she was weakened. Whiteleg threw her off, against one of the dens, and ran off, yowling about revenge.

Honeystar, Sunflame, and Turtleshell gave chase.

--

Frostfoot was being treated by Ashpaw. "Thank goodness she didn't sink deep enough to kill you," Ashpaw mewed.

Suddenly, Honeystar, Sunflame, and Turtleshell came back, looking weary. "We chased her out of Clan territory, but we couldn't catch her. She got picked up by a Twoleg," Honeystar meowed.

"Hopefully, that's the end." Cloudwhisker dipped her head. "Ashpaw has offered me position of medicine cat. StarClan has given her a sign." She paused. "I will take it; I'm done with toms!" She let out an _mrrow _of satisfaction.

Ashpaw shook her head. "It is more than just giving up a mate. It's having dedication; it's your way to give back to your Clan. You must care."

"I do care, Ashpaw."

Honeystar led Cloudwhisker away for her ceremony to begin. Frostfoot looked up at Ashpaw. "I'm sorry I couldn't keep her held down," she fretted.

"Don't, please, Frostfoot. Do not put stress on yourself. You want to birth healthy kits, now, don't you?"

Frostfoot didn't answer; she just laid her head back down, icy-white fur back to its clean whiteness after Ashpaw had licked the blood away. Ashpaw fretted, but she rubbed Frostfoot's belly gently with her paws.


	8. Preview

Preview of The Star Frost Chronicles: Book 5: Motherhood!

--

Frostfoot licked the four bundles of joy that were curled into the curve of her belly. Bluepaw, her apprentice, who was sitting next to Ashpaw, her eyes sparkling. Frostfoot smiled.

The first kit was a perfect copy of Tantail, and the next was an exact copy of Frostfoot. The third was a tortoiseshell, and the fourth was gray tabby. Two were girls, two were boys. Ashpaw was perfect in the delivery, like an experienced medicine cat.

"I'll name the first Brownkit," she purred, pointing at the copy of Tantail, who was female, the only differ from Tantail.

"Beautiful," whispered Cloudwhisker.

"Snowkit." Her tail pointed to the copy of her, who was male. "And Smallkit." She gestured toward the tortoiseshell male. "And, finally, Lavenderkit." She nosed the gray tabby female.

"They all look like they'll do really good. They all seem strong," Ashpaw purred.

"And that's what matters," mewed Frostfoot gently.


End file.
